Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-05-02
WASHINGTON LETTER
GsPEcIAI CORRESPONDENTS OF TIN MONITOR.


Especial CORRESPONDENTS OF TIN soNrToR.I
Washington. 1pFd 25H.
Everybody was thinking that there
was dearth of news in Washington,
an utter lack of anything in the least
sensational, when it was announced
that President Cleveland would not
accept denomination in '8S. This
was really something new, and his
closest friends believe that he means
it. From the non-committal attitude
of Private Secretary Lamont he evil
IDENTIFY intended this news should APP
pear to be news to him.
A reporter called ut his residence
long before daylight on Saturday
morning and asked if the report
should be re-affirmed or denied that
the president had made declaration
to this effect on last "Wednesday to
prominent democratic senator from
one of the western states. The eau
tious Col. hesitated a moment, and
then said, ''The president has not
made known to me anything about
the matter. In fact l don't know
anything about it,
If truthfullv quoted the president
said to his senatorial friend, ''Everv-
thing | do, every appointment l
make is construed as step towards
securing a reelection, while in reality
| am counting the days that remain
until my release from office, just as
if | was prisoner in confinement"
He mentioned that he had not eX-
pressed his feelings publicly, or to
the representatives of the press, for
the simple reason that he felt that
nothing that he might say about the
matter would be believed. He scarce
" expected to be believed now by
anybody except his wife, but added
that it was 50 nevertheless.
This is in cOnsonance with what
another friend of the president, who
was here on visit, said in regard to
a second candidacy in 'S8. He be-
lieved that Mr.. Cleveland would adj
here to his letter of acceptance and |
refuse to be a candidate for a second |
term. He was also of the opinion |
that the president would write let |
ter to this effect to give the public a
clear understanding on the subject. |
And it is not unlikely that the pub
licity which has been given to this al
legged private conversation on the sub |
jeet will eventually provoke some for
NAL and public utterance from the
White House.
The episode in the east room last |
week of the giggling, Cabling news
paper men was unfortunate, and the
president has felt compelled to pro-
tect himself, or rather to protect his
visitors from the indignities of GER
tain vulgar correspondents here, by
withdrawing certain privileges to
which all journalistic visitors to the
executive mansion have become ac-
customed. The said correspondent
took a position in rear of the presi-
dent while his tri-weekly handshaking
to the public was in progress last
Wednesday, and made ribald remarks
at the expense of the honest passers-
by. There were about three hundred
of these, and almost every one came
in for Il little criticism or fun-making,
which was audible to the president,
at least, and of course very annoying
to him. Yesterday he received his
callers in solemn state. The ill-bred
wits had been invited not to attend.
The present administration has
shown great kindness and courtesy
to the press which have been appre-
ciated by its representatives as a
whole, even if they have been abused
by few Until President Cleveland
invited correspondents to attend the
reception last winter, they
could stand in the vestibule with the
or guests, but they new
ar had any definite social standing at
the official receptions. Individual
members were invited privately and
On New Years Day correspondents
we're freely admitted.
But in the classification of Wash +
ngton official life, where precedence {
s as much thought of, apparently, as I
1T European courts, where the small 7
EST bureau or division chief is assign
I'd place, as are also the sergeants
If police of the navy, no correspond
ents of any newspaper could, by vir- :
5ue of his place, gain access to the S
White House on occasions of ceremo- 4
~. President Cleveland changed all 4
his. He gave representatives of the q
)ress a definite social status when he &c
extended to them an invita- =
ion to the White House through the !:
secretary of the senate and the clerk
# the House. As the correspondent
If the New York Sun wrote at the
ime. "That has given the press a
status by the side of senators and T
and the staff corps of :
he general of the army, who were the I
gilded cords of the armies of the con-
insnt."